Jeff is passionate about his work as an executive coach and is currently serving as Executive Director of the McChrystal Group Leadership Institute, where he leads research and client training on human and organisational performance.

Previously in public service, Jeff served as a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and worked at the White House in 2006-2007 and again from 2010 through early 2015.  In 2014 President Obama presented Jeff with the Samuel Nelson Drew Award for “Distinguished Contribution in Pursuit of Global Peace” for his role in mediating a solution to the political crisis following the 2014 presidential elections in Afghanistan.

Jeff also served in the military, retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2013, serving over 20 years as a combat veteran Navy SEAL.  Jeff served in the military as Special Assistant to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Branch Chief for Combating Terrorism on the Joint Staff, and White House Fellow and Director for Combating Terrorism at the National Security Council.  Jeff’s operational tours included several SEAL Teams, commander of the Special Operations Task Unit in western Iraq, and Operations Officer and Mission Commander for the U.S. Navy’s undersea special operations command.

He is also a senior fellow at New America researching the behavioral and cognitive science of decision making and an advisor to the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue where he assists with international conflict mediation efforts.

Jeff serves on the board of a non-profit that cares for and assists the families of veterans killed in action. He holds an M.A. from Oxford University and a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy.

His leadership skills in both real battles and business are put on stage at #TEDxBucharest11.